Facial hair

[ModernChemistry]

So I decided to grow out my goatee/stash for the first time this winter break... and I must say it's coming in nicely so far. Anyhow, I found out last week that I've got another interview coming up.

Now I have a dilemma. Should I shave it all off to look more professional or should I not worry about it? I'd really like to continue growing it, but if I need to remove it for the sake of medicine, so be it.

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[TexasTriathlete]

I suggest mustache only.

 

[dr seuss]

I suggest mutton chops and a mustache.

 

[Semicolon]

I've interviewed three times with facial hair. And I got accepted all three times.

Maybe they just liked it?

 

[rajaholick]

you + bottom right in this picutre + interview = automatic acceptance

 

[JaggerPlate]

i suggest mustache only.

+1

 

[Semicolon]

you + bottom right in this picutre + interview = automatic acceptance

WHOA! Now THOSE are mutton chops! They look like mandibles...

 

[rkaz]

you + bottom right in this picutre + interview = automatic acceptance

As a feminist, I am insulted that women with hirsutism aren't represented here. We should get some facial hair styles for women too. Seems kinda chauvinistic if you ask me....

 

[229141]

Chinstrap is sick..hmm what else. Soul patch with a nice goat.

Oh oh heavy metal sideburns have always a been a favorite of mine.

In all honesty I am going to interview with clean neat sideburns that end at the bottom of my ear and thats all lol

 

[Bacchus]

Don't go overboard, keep the hair length small, and you should be ok. Ie: just above what you'd call a 5 oclock shadow.

 

[bleeker10]

I shaved off all my facial hair including soul patch for my interviews and got a haircut to look nice and professional. I kept my sideburn at the length of my ears. I would've kept a goatee but after awhile it starts to get really thick and look pretty crappy so I figured it was better to shave it off. Plus I had to send in pictures to a couple schools and I wanted to look somewhat similar to my pictures, thus I had no facial hair at my interviews. Just do what you think is best. If it looks good and professional, then keep it. If it starts to look like you should be living in a shack on a mountain in the Rockies, then it probably needs to be shaved off.

 

[229141]

What about good stubble like Dr House?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I shaved off all my facial hair including soul patch for my interviews and got a haircut to look nice and professional. I kept my sideburn at the length of my ears. I would've kept a goatee but after awhile it starts to get really thick and look pretty crappy so I figured it was better to shave it off. Plus I had to send in pictures to a couple schools and I wanted to look somewhat similar to my pictures, thus I had no facial hair at my interviews. Just do what you think is best. If it looks good and professional, then keep it. If it starts to look like you should be living in a shack on a mountain in the Rockies, then it probably needs to be shaved off.

You could have just bought a $10 trimmer and kept it neat and short. I trim mine with one once or twice a week and kept my facial hair for interviews. No complaints or regrets.

 

[bleeker10]

You could have just bought a $10 trimmer and kept it neat and short. I trim mine with one once or twice a week and kept my facial hair for interviews. No complaints or regrets.

Haha I actually have a beard trimmer that I use. But when I had to get up and shave in the morning before my interviews, I just did not want to trim up my facial hair. I would rather sleep in a few more mins and just shave it all off. I guess this makes me lazy, but I value sleep over facial hair. Luckily for me, my hair grows really fast.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Haha I actually have a beard trimmer that I use. But when I had to get up and shave in the morning before my interviews, I just did not want to trim up my facial hair. I would rather sleep in a few more mins and just shave it all off. I guess this makes me lazy, but I value sleep over facial hair. Luckily for me, my hair grows really fast.

Your math confuses me. It takes me longer to shave my whole face than it does to trim my facial hair. Maybe you had one of these, which would undoubtedly take a while to get right:

 

[Semicolon]

You could have just bought a $10 trimmer and kept it neat and short. I trim mine with one once or twice a week and kept my facial hair for interviews. No complaints or regrets.

Hah; I do the exact same thing.

Hooray for trimmers!

 

[DrKendrickLamar]

now, do you think keeping the facial hair gives an older appearance? though i am almost 25, some people think that i am as young as 18

 

[Chocolate Bear]

now, do you think keeping the facial hair gives an older appearance? though i am almost 25, some people think that i am as young as 18

Most of the time, I think it does.

 

[J ROD]

If you can grow out what I call a "real" beard or mustache, then I think it is fine and acceptable.

Some can not and it looks bad. For example, you have to let it grow a week before you can get a decent look. It should be trimmed and neat.

Personally, I keep a rough look with some stubble except when I have business occasions.

I will be clean shaven during the interviews...

 

[bleeker10]

Your math confuses me. It takes me longer to shave my whole face than it does to trim my facial hair. Maybe you had one of these, which would undoubtedly take a while to get right:

Well I still have to shave my face even if I trimmed up my hair. I guess what I forgot to mention was that I didn't have a goatee at all during the fall semester, just a soul patch. So for me, it was just easier to not grow the goatee then to worry about trimming it all the time.

 

[ftmyerskid35]

I suggest mutton chops and a mustache.

what in the world is mutton chops?

 

[DrKendrickLamar]

still trying to decide to shave or not.

 

[DORoe]

what in the world is mutton chops?

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/images/dress-up/beards/mutton-chops-big.jpg

 

[Bacchus]

now, do you think keeping the facial hair gives an older appearance? though i am almost 25, some people think that i am as young as 18

I've noticed I get carded more when I shave. When I don't, the amount of carding goes down quite a bit.

 

[Semicolon]

I've noticed I get carded more when I shave. When I don't, the amount of carding goes down quite a bit.

Same here. One waiter, after I ordered a beer, asked for my ID then said "hah, you can't fool me with your beard; you're still 21!"

 

[Sandlot13]

keep the facial hair.... wear it with pride and enjoy the fact that no one can call you "baby faced"..... dont forget to keep it classy san diego

 

[MaximusD]

So I decided to grow out my goatee/stash for the first time this winter break... and I must say it's coming in nicely so far. Anyhow, I found out last week that I've got another interview coming up.

Now I have a dilemma. Should I shave it all off to look more professional or should I not worry about it? I'd really like to continue growing it, but if I need to remove it for the sake of medicine, so be it.

SHAVE. Don't let them disqualify you for any stupid reasons. Be clean-cut. You are attempting to enter one of the most stuffy, conservative professions on the face of the planet.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

From the sounds of it, you should probably shave or go with what you are most comfortable with/looks the most professional for you, especially since this is the first time that you've grown facial hair and kept it.

 

[123165]

The outlook I always take on things like haircuts, body jewelry, clothing is:

At best, it will be looked at neutrally, never favorably. At worst, it will give the interviewer a bad impressions. Why would you ever rick it? My goatee gets shaved, my earrings come out, and my hair is not quite so spikey.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I personally used to think that it wasn't worth the "risk" for a pre-med to have facial hair during interviews. However, being a little older now and working with tons of senior docs, residents, and med students, I know the difference between professional and unprofessional facial hair. I also know that facial hair is very common in medicine.

As for the issue at hand, I think it's very difficult for a new facial hair wearer (like the OP) to know what looks professional/appropriate and what doesn't. I would definitely ask some conservative family members/friends/colleagues what they think about your facial hair to help make this decision.

Better yet (or additionally), find a picture of what yours looks like and post it here. We can make a poll to see what your fellow SDNers think, too!

 

[Semicolon]

The outlook I always take on things like haircuts, body jewelry, clothing is:

At best, it will be looked at neutrally, never favorably. At worst, it will give the interviewer a bad impressions. Why would you ever rick it? My goatee gets shaved, my earrings come out, and my hair is not quite so spikey.

Can you really compare body jewelry to facial hair? I think those are two COMPLETELY different cases. Personally, I feel facial hair CAN give a positive impression, not just neutral; the trick is in maintaining it and not letting it get out of hand.

As Bacchus suggested earlier, I would simply just keep the facial hair at a respectable length; I seriously doubt you would run into any problems. I have seen a countless amount of both residents and attendings with facial hair (usually just stubble); I've come to accept it.

 

[123165]

Can you really compare body jewelry to facial hair? I think those are two COMPLETELY different cases. Personally, I feel facial hair CAN give a positive impression, not just neutral; the trick is in maintaining it and not letting it get out of hand.

As Bacchus suggested earlier, I would simply just keep the facial hair at a respectable length; I seriously doubt you would run into any problems. I have seen a countless amount of both residents and attendings with facial hair (usually just stubble); I've come to accept it.

I sure can compare the two. Do you think people should be judged based on body jewelry? Some people think facial hair is unprofessional, some think body jewelry is unprofessional. The fact that one is more mainstream has no importance. I am not taking a chance with either.

 

[Semicolon]

I sure can compare the two. Do you think people should be judged based on body jewelry? Some people think facial hair is unprofessional, some think body jewelry is unprofessional. The fact that one is more mainstream has no importance. I am not taking a chance with either.

I can honestly say that I have never met anyone with the former opinion, but I have met plenty with the latter.

Is it really rational to say that people would get rejected simply because they had facial hair? Then again, I can't prove that they don't, and maybe you may be right in some cases.

 

[DrKendrickLamar]

most interview websites claim that guys (and for some girls) (just kidding) should be clean shaven.

i am just going to be clean shaven. done deal